Project New Hope – May 2015 – Celebrating Easter in Peru and Ecuador

Project New Hope + CMF

CMF and Project New Hope have forged an exciting new partnership with missionaries Mike and Dani Bukta and their work in Peru and Ecuador. Through this partnership we will work together toward holistic mission, where disciples are made, individual lives are transformed and nationals are empowered to lead. U.S. churches will be challenged to actively partner in this ministry with the goal of creating dynamic Christ-centered communities (churches) that can transform the world.

Ecuador

Church women plan a retreat

Some of the women from the church in Santa Martha wanted to go on a retreat, so they held a community bingo event to raise money. They had a good turnout, raised some money and enjoyed an afternoon of fun. None of these women have ever been on a spiritual retreat, but they are excited and ready for the experience.

The retreat will be held in November, and our goal is to have 20 women attend. The topic will be forgiveness: God’s forgiveness for us, the importance of forgiving others, and how followers of Christ can consult and serve others. Please pray that God will guide us as we prepare and organize this special event that will be a time for the women of the church to grow closer and strengthen their relationship with Christ.

Youth ministry holds VBS

This was our second year of VBS, but the first VBS run by people from the barrio. The youth ministry took charge and helped the children have a great experience. We had four days of songs, food, games, and lessons on Bible characters.

We had such a great response to the VBS and are so impressed with how well the youth group is working that we have decided to start a Kids’ Club in May. We are blessed to see God working in these young people’s lives. They are part of the reason why the barrio is changing, and good role models for the other kids in their neighborhoods.

Happy Resurrection Day!

Easter is not celebrated here with a focus on Christ’s resurrection as it is by Christians in the U.S. Instead they celebrate and focus on Christ’s crucifixion. We try to explain the importance of the resurrection as proof that Jesus was not just a man, but also God. So on Saturday night (before Easter) we invited the community to watch the movie “Hope,” which is the story of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection and the hope we have in Him. Some new families attended the movie, and we will be visiting them soon.

On Easter Sunday some friends from our church in Che Guevara visited the Santa Martha church to worship together, share a meal and then enjoy an afternoon of sports.

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.’ ” John 11:25

Thanks for your continuing support of our work!

The Bukta family

Peru

Pulling together for growth

Our programs are growing, so we have taken a modular building that was disassembled last month in one barrio and plan to add it to an already-assembled building in a second barrio. But first, we need to raise money for a foundation to put it on!

Meet a hard-working family

Edita is a single mother of three children. She lives with her two younger sons, Cristian, age 20, and David, 12. Edita sells “marcianos” (homemade popsicles) downtown for 1 sole (less than 50 cents) each to support her family. Cristian works as a toll collector on a mini-bus and earns less than $10 per day. Please pray for Edita and her children.

April was a good month

The month began with Easter services and three baptisms, and ended with a fourth baptism! Please join me in praying for our new brother and sisters in the family of Christ.

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Iliana Bustios